Dried meal worms for 4 week old chicks?

[hanneke]

Ive done a search for this but the results were all over the place.
My chicks are 23 days old now, growing and doing well. They are still getting medicated chick starter.
When can I give them dried meal worms? If not what other variation could I get them? Just for fun I will still feed them their regular food.
Thanks.

 

[nuthatched]

I gave mine some steamed broccoli florets at a young age but a deciding factor is whether they have access to grit/outdoors.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They need access to grit first, if they don't already have it. But yes they can have a few each day. I use them for training.

 

[hanneke]

They need access to grit first, if they don't already have it. But yes they can have a few each day. I use them for training.

No grit yet. That I also read has to wait until 8 weeks. Could I start that as well?

 

[rosemarythyme]

No grit yet. That I also read has to wait until 8 weeks. Could I start that as well?

Yes, start immediately. Mama hens don't read guidelines on a bag - they'll show chicks how to get grit as soon as they start eating. I also start chicks immediately on grit as I brood outdoors and they can and will eat anything they can get in their mouths, such as bedding, dirt, bugs. Grit helps them to break all that down.

Do monitor grit intake at first, especially if you choose to offer a dish of it. Some chicks will gorge on it. I offer it by sprinkling a tiny pinch on their food every few days, to ensure they get some but cannot gorge on it.

 

[hanneke]

Yes, start immediately. Mama hens don't read guidelines on a bag - they'll show chicks how to get grit as soon as they start eating. I also start chicks immediately on grit as I brood outdoors and they can and will eat anything they can get in their mouths, such as bedding, dirt, bugs. Grit helps them to break all that down.

Do monitor grit intake at first, especially if you choose to offer a dish of it. Some chicks will gorge on it. I offer it by sprinkling a tiny pinch on their food every few days, to ensure they get some but cannot gorge on it.

I have play sand. Will that do?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have play sand. Will that do?

Depends on the size. This is the size you want to aim for:

Assuming standard size chicks, you can move to grower size grit around 8 weeks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No grit yet. That I also read has to wait until 8 weeks. Could I start that as well?

My guess is also that the 8 weeks is based on the size of the grit. But that is probably for full-sized fowl, not bantams. If you are interested and can send a link to that product I'll try to get some context. But one of the first things my broody hens do when the chicks come off of the nest is to take them to a clear area of dirt so they can peck at the ground and get grit. They'll find stuff the right size for themselves. That way they can eat anything the hen can find for them to eat immediately. A broody hen does not wait to feed them anything as long as the size is appropriate for the chick.

I have play sand. Will that do?

I agree, you do not want sugar sand. That is too fine. It looks like you are probably in the Chicago area. With all that former glacial activity in the past your soil should have gravel and rock in it. If you can get them on a clear patch of dirt for a while they should find all the grit they need. Or dig up a small amount of dirt and feed it to them in the brooder. That's how I do mine, feed them some dirt from the run where the adults are. That way they not only get grit, they get some probiotics the adult chickens have that pass out their rear end and they strengthen their immune system to get ready for the environment they will eventually live in.

I tend to not buy things that nature provides. I've been chewed out on here for that before. Someone felt I didn't love my chicks enough when I said I use free rocks to put in my waterer so they don't drown instead of spending money to buy them pretty marbles.

 

[hanneke]

My guess is also that the 8 weeks is based on the size of the grit. But that is probably for full-sized fowl, not bantams. If you are interested and can send a link to that product I'll try to get some context. But one of the first things my broody hens do when the chicks come off of the nest is to take them to a clear area of dirt so they can peck at the ground and get grit. They'll find stuff the right size for themselves. That way they can eat anything the hen can find for them to eat immediately. A broody hen does not wait to feed them anything as long as the size is appropriate for the chick.


I agree, you do not want sugar sand. That is too fine. It looks like you are probably in the Chicago area. With all that former glacial activity in the past your soil should have gravel and rock in it. If you can get them on a clear patch of dirt for a while they should find all the grit they need. Or dig up a small amount of dirt and feed it to them in the brooder. That's how I do mine, feed them some dirt from the run where the adults are. That way they not only get grit, they get some probiotics the adult chickens have that pass out their rear end and they strengthen their immune system to get ready for the environment they will eventually live in.

I tend to not buy things that nature provides. I've been chewed out on here for that before. Someone felt I didn't love my chicks enough when I said I use free rocks to put in my waterer so they don't drown instead of spending money to buy them pretty marbles.

I don’t have adults yet.
I had chickens 12 years ago, I lived in the Chicago area back then. I guess that still shows up here.

Im in Eastern Washington State now therefore just piles of snow on the ground. But I can get some from where they will be. It’s very rocky and sandy here so there should be enough.